murad the unlucky and other tales-第3部分

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picked　it　up　and　put　it　on　my　finger；　resolving　to　give　it　to　the
public　crier　the　next　morning；　who　might　find　out　its　rightful
owner；　but；　by　ill…luck；　I　put　it　on　my　little　finger；　for　which　it
was　much　too　large；　and　as　I　hastened　towards　the　fire　to　light　my
pipe；　I　dropped　the　ring。　　I　stooped　to　search　for　it　amongst　the
provender　on　which　a　mule　was　feeding；　and　the　cursed　animal　gave
me　so　violent　a　kick　on　the　head　that　I　could　not　help　roaring
aloud。

〃My　cries　awakened　those　who　slept　in　the　tent　near　which　the　mule
was　feeding。　　Provoked　at　being　disturbed；　the　soldiers　were　ready
enough　to　think　ill　of　me；　and　they　took　it　for　granted　that　I　was
a　thief；　who　had　stolen　the　ring　I　pretended　to　have　just　found。
The　ring　was　taken　from　me　by　force；　and　the　next　day　I　was
bastinadoed　for　having　found　it；　the　officer　persisting　in　the
belief　that　stripes　would　make　me　confess　where　I　had　concealed
certain　other　articles　of　value　which　had　lately　been　missed　in　the
camp。　　All　this　was　the　consequence　of　my　being　in　a　hurry　to　light
my　pipe　and　of　my　having　put　the　ring　on　a　finger　that　was　too
little　for　it；　which　no　one　but　Murad　the　Unlucky　would　have　done。

〃When　I　was　able　to　walk　again；　after　my　wounds　were　healed；　I　went
into　one　of　the　tents　distinguished　by　a　red　flag；　having　been　told
that　these　were　coffee…houses。　　Whilst　I　was　drinking　coffee　I
heard　a　stranger　near　me　complaining　that　he　had　not　been　able　to
recover　a　valuable　ring　he　had　lost；　although　he　had　caused　his
loss　to　be　published　for　three　days　by　the　public　crier；　offering　a
reward　of　two　hundred　sequins　to　whoever　should　restore　it。　　I
guessed　that　this　was　the　very　ring　which　I　had　unfortunately
found。　　I　addressed　myself　to　the　stranger；　and　promised　to　point
out　to　him　the　person　who　had　forced　it　from　me。　　The　stranger
recovered　his　ring；　and；　being　convinced　that　I　had　acted　honestly；
he　made　me　a　present　of　two　hundred　sequins；　as　some　amends　for　the
punishment　which　I　had　unjustly　suffered　on　his　account。

〃Now　you　would　imagine　that　this　purse　of　gold　was　advantageous　to
me。　　Far　the　contrary；　it　was　the　cause　of　new　misfortunes。

〃One　night；　when　I　thought　that　the　soldiers　who　were　in　the　same
tent　with　me　were　all　fast　asleep；　I　indulged　myself　in　the
pleasure　of　counting　my　treasure。　　The　next　day　I　was　invited　by　my
companions　to　drink　sherbet　with　them。　　What　they　mixed　with　the
sherbet　which　I　drank　I　know　not；　but　I　could　not　resist　the
drowsiness　it　brought　on。　　I　fell　into　a　profound　slumber；　and　when
I　awoke；　I　found　myself　lying　under　a　date…tree；　at　some　distance
from　the　camp。

〃The　first　thing　I　thought　of　when　I　came　to　my　recollection　was　my
purse　of　sequins。　　The　purse　I　found　still　safe　in　my　girdle；　but
on　opening　it；　I　perceived　that　it　was　filled　with　pebbles；　and　not
a　single　sequin　was　left。　　I　had　no　doubt　that　I　had　been　robbed　by
the　soldiers　with　whom　I　had　drunk　sherbet；　and　I　am　certain　that
some　of　them　must　have　been　awake　the　night　I　counted　my　money；
otherwise；　as　I　had　never　trusted　the　secret　of　my　riches　to　any
one；　they　could　not　have　suspected　me　of　possessing　any　property；
for　ever　since　I　kept　company　with　them　I　had　appeared　to　be　in
great　indigence。

〃I　applied　in　vain　to　the　superior　officers　for　redress：　　the
soldiers　protested　they　were　innocent；　no　positive　proof　appeared
against　them；　and　I　gained　nothing　by　my　complaint　but　ridicule　and
ill…will。　　I　called　myself；　in　the　first　transport　of　my　grief；　by
that　name　which；　since　my　arrival　in　Egypt；　I　had　avoided　to
pronounce：　　I　called　myself　Murad　the　Unlucky。　　The　name　and　the
story　ran　through　the　camp；　and　I　was　accosted；　afterwards；　very
frequently；　by　this　appellation。　　Some；　indeed；　varied　their　wit　by
calling　me　Murad　with　the　purse　of　pebbles。

〃All　that　I　had　yet　suffered　is　nothing　compared　to　my　succeeding
misfortunes。

〃It　was　the　custom　at　this　time；　in　the　Turkish　camp；　for　the
soldiers　to　amuse　themselves　with　firing　at　a　mark。　　The　superior
officers　remonstrated　against　this　dangerous　practice；　but
ineffectually。　　Sometimes　a　party　of　soldiers　would　stop　firing　for
a　few　minutes；　after　a　message　was　brought　them　from　their
commanders；　and　then　they　would　begin　again；　in　defiance　of　all
orders。　　Such　was　the　want　of　discipline　in　our　army；　that　this
disobedience　went　unpunished。　　In　the　meantime；　the　frequency　of
the　danger　made　most　men　totally　regardless　of　it。　　I　have　seen
tents　pierced　with　bullets；　in　which　parties　were　quietly　seated
smoking　their　pipes；　whilst　those　without　were　preparing　to　take
fresh　aim　at　the　red　flag　on　the　top。

〃This　apathy　proceeded；　in　some；　from　unconquerable　indolence　of
body；　in　others；　from　the　intoxication　produced　by　the　fumes　of
tobacco　and　of　opium；　but　in　most　of　my　brother　Turks　it　arose　from
the　confidence　which　the　belief　in　predestination　inspired。　　When　a
bullet　killed　one　of　their　companions；　they　only　observed；　scarcely
taking　the　pipes　from　their　mouths；　'Our　hour　is　not　yet　come：　　it
is　not　the　will　of　Mahomet　that　we　should　fall。'

〃I　own　that　this　rash　security　appeared　to　me；　at　first；
surprising；　but　it　soon　ceased　to　strike　me　with　wonder；　and　it
even　tended　to　confirm　my　favourite　opinion；　that　some　were　born　to
good　and　some　to　evil　fortune。　　I　became　almost　as　careless　as　my
companions；　from　following　the　same　course　of　reasoning。　　'It　is
not；'　thought　I；　'in　the　power　of　human　prudence　to　avert　the
stroke　of　destiny。　　I　shall　perhaps　die　to…morrow；　let　me　therefore
enjoy　to…day。'

〃I　now　made　it　my　study　every　day　to　procure　as　much　amusement　as
possible。　　My　poverty；　as　you　will　imagine；　restricted　me　from
indulgence　and　excess；　but　I　soon　found　means　to　spend　what　did　not
actually　belong　to　me。　　There　were　certain　Jews　who　were　followers
of　the　camp；　and　who；　calculating　on　the　probability　of　victory　for
our　troops；　advanced　money　to　the　soldiers；　for　which　they　engaged
to　pay　these　usurers　exorbitant　interest。　　The　Jew　to　whom　I
applied　traded　with　me　also；　upon　the　belief　that　my　brother
Saladin；　with　whose　character　and　circumstances　he　was　acquainted；
would　pay　my　debts　if　I　should　fall。　　With　the　money　I　raised　from
the　Jew　I　continually　bought　coffee　and　opium；　of　which　I　grew
immoderately　fond。　　In　the　delirium　it　created　I　forgot　all　my
misfortunes；　all　fear　of　the　future。

〃One　day；　when　I　had　raised　my　spirits　by　an　unusual　quantity　of
opium；　I　was　strolling　through　the　camp；　sometimes　singing；
sometimes　dancing；　like　a　madman；　and　repeating　that　I　was　not　now
Murad　the　Unlucky。　　Whilst　these　words　were　on　my　lips；　a　friendly
spectator；　who　was　in　possession　of　his　sober　senses；　caught　me　by
the　arm；　and　attempted　to　drag　me　from　the　place　where　I　was
exposing　myself。　　'Do　you　not　see；'　said　he；　'those　soldiers；　who
are　firing　at　a　mark？　　I　saw　one　of　them；　just　now；　deliberately
taking　aim　at　your　turban；　and　observe；　he　is　now　reloading　his
piece。'　　My　ill　luck　prevailed　even　at　this　instantthe　only
instant　in　my　life　when　I　defied　its　power。　　I　struggled　with　my
adviser；　repeating；　'I　am　not　the　wretch　you　take　me　for；　I　am　not
Murad　the　Unlucky。'　　He　fled　from　the　danger　himself；　I　remained；
and　in　a　few　seconds　afterwards　a　ball　reached　me；　and　I　fell
senseless　on　the　sand。

〃The　ball　was　cut　out　of　my　body　by　an　awkward　surgeon；　who　gave　me
ten　times　more　pain　than　was　necessary。　　He　was　particularly
hurried　at　this　time；　because　the　army　had　just　received　orders　to
march　in　a　few　hours；　and　all　was　confusion　in　the　camp。　　My　wound
was　excessively　painful；　and　the　fear　of　being　left　behind　with
those　who　were　deemed　incurable　added　to　my　torments。　　Perhaps；　if
I　had　kept　myself　quiet；　I　might　have　escaped　some　of　the　evils　I
afterwards　endured；　but；　as　I　have　repeatedly　told　you；　gentlemen；
it　was　my　ill　fortune　never　to　be　able　to　judge　what　was　best　to　be
done　till　the　time　for　prudence　was　past。

〃During　the　day；　when　my　fever　was　at　the　height；　and　when　my
orders　were　to　keep　my　bed；　contrary　to　my　natural　habits　of
indolence；　I　rose　a　hundred　times；　and　went　out　of　my　tent　in　the
very　heat　of　the　day；　to　satisfy　my　curiosity　as　to　the　number　of
the　tests　which　had　not　been　struck；　and　of　the　soldiers　who　had
not　yet　marched。　　The　orders　to　march　were　tardily　obeyed；　and　many
hours　elapsed　before　our　encampment　was　raised。　　Had　I　submitted　to
my　surgeon's　orders；　I　might　have　been　in　a　state　to　accompany　the
most　dilatory　of　the　stragglers；　I　could　have　borne；　perhaps；　the
slow　motion　of　a　litter；　on　which　some　of　the　sick　were
transported；　but　in　the　evening；　when　the　surgeon　came　to　dress　my
wounds；　he　found　me　in　such　a　situation　that　it　was　scarcely
possible　to　remove　me。

〃He　desired　a　party　of　soldiers；　who　were　left　to　bring　up　the
rear；　to　call　for　me　the　next　morning。　　They　did　so；　but　they
wanted　to　put　me　upon　the　mule　which　I　recollected；　by　a　white
streak　on　its　back；　to　be　the　cursed　animal　that　had　kicked　me
whilst　I　was　looking　for　the　ring。　　I　could　not　be　prevailed　upon
to　go　upon　this　unlucky　animal。　　I　tried　to　persuade　the　soldiers
to　carry　me；　and　they　took　me　a　little　way；　but；　soon　growing　weary
of　their　burden；　they　laid　me　down　on　the　sand；　pretending　that
they　were　going　to　fill　a　skin　with　water　at　a　spring　they　had
discovered；　and　bade　me　lie　still；　and　wait　for　their　return。

〃I　waited　and　waited；　longing　for　the　water　to　moisten　my　parched
lips；　but　no　water　cameno　soldiers　returned；　and　there　I　lay；　for
several　hours；　expecting　every　moment　to　breathe　my　last。　　I　made
no　effort　to　move；　for　I　was　now　convinced　my　hour　was　come；　and
that　it　was　the　will　of　Mahomet　that　I　should　perish　in　this
miserable　manner；　and　lie　unburied　like　a　dog：　　'a　death；'　thought
I；　'worthy　of　Murad　the　Unlucky。'

〃My　forebodings　were　not　this　time　just；　a　detachment　of　English
soldiers　passed　near　the　place　where　I　lay：　　my　groans　were　heard
by　them；　and　they　humanely　came　to　my　assistance。　　They　carried　me
with　them；　dressed　my　wound；　and　treated　me　with　the　utmost
tenderness。　　Christians　though　they　were；　I　must　acknowledge　that　I
had　reason　to　love　them　better　than　any　o